Public Act 0643 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2172 Enrolled LRB102 14442 SPS 19794 b

Public Act 102-0643

AN ACT concerning government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Pharmacy Practice Act is amended by changing Sections 9.5 and 17.1 as follows:

(225 ILCS 85/9.5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2023)

Sec. 9.5. Registered certified pharmacy technician.

(a) An individual licensed as a registered pharmacy technician under this Act may be licensed as a registered certified pharmacy technician, if he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(1) He or she has submitted a written application in the form and manner prescribed by the Department.

(2) He or she has attained the age of 18.

(3) He or she is of good moral character, as determined by the Department.

(4) Beginning on January 1, 2024 2022, a new pharmacy technician is required to have (i) graduated from a pharmacy technician training program that meets the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of Section 17.1 of this Act or (ii) obtained documentation from the pharmacist-in-charge of the pharmacy where the applicant is employed verifying that he or she has successfully completed a standardized nationally accredited education and training program, and has successfully completed an objective assessment mechanism prepared in accordance with rules established by the Department.

(5) He or she has successfully passed an examination accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, as approved and required by the Board or by rule.

(6) He or she has paid the required licensure fees.

(b) No pharmacist whose license has been denied, revoked, suspended, or restricted for disciplinary purposes may be eligible to be registered as a certified pharmacy technician unless authorized by order of the Department as a condition of restoration from revocation, suspension, or restriction.

(c) The Department may, by rule, establish any additional requirements for licensure under this Section.

(d) A person who is not a licensed registered pharmacy technician and meets the requirements of this Section may be licensed as a registered certified pharmacy technician without first being licensed as a registered pharmacy technician.

(e) As a condition for the renewal of a license as a registered certified pharmacy technician, the licensee shall provide evidence to the Department of completion of a total of 20 hours of continuing pharmacy education during the 24 months preceding the expiration date of the certificate as established by rule. One hour of continuing pharmacy education must be in the subject of pharmacy law. One hour of continuing pharmacy education must be in the subject of patient safety. The continuing education shall be approved by the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education.

The Department may establish by rule a means for the verification of completion of the continuing education required by this subsection (e). This verification may be accomplished through audits of records maintained by licensees, by requiring the filing of continuing education certificates with the Department or a qualified organization selected by the Department to maintain such records, or by other means established by the Department.

Rules developed under this subsection (e) may provide for a reasonable annual fee, not to exceed $20, to fund the cost of such recordkeeping. The Department may, by rule, further provide an orderly process for the restoration of a license that has not been renewed due to the failure to meet the continuing pharmacy education requirements of this subsection (e). The Department may waive the requirements of continuing pharmacy education, in whole or in part, in cases of extreme hardship as defined by rule of the Department. The waivers may be granted for not more than one of any 2 consecutive renewal periods.

(Source: P.A. 100-497, eff. 9-8-17; 101-621, eff. 1-1-20.)

(225 ILCS 85/17.1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2023)

Sec. 17.1. Registered pharmacy technician training.

(a) It shall be the joint responsibility of a pharmacy and its pharmacist in charge to have trained all of its registered pharmacy technicians or obtain proof of prior training in all of the following practice areas as they apply to Illinois law and relate to the specific practice site and job responsibilities:

(1) The duties and responsibilities of the technicians and pharmacists.

(2) Tasks and technical skills, policies, and procedures.

(3) Compounding, packaging, labeling, and storage.

(4) Pharmaceutical and medical terminology.

(5) Record keeping requirements.

(6) The ability to perform and apply arithmetic calculations.

Beginning January 1, 2024 2022, it shall also be the joint responsibility of a pharmacy and its pharmacist in charge to ensure that all new pharmacy technicians are educated and trained using a standard nationally accredited education and training program, such as those accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)/the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) or other board approved education and training programs. The pharmacist in charge is not required to provide the required education to the pharmacy technician, but the pharmacist in charge must ensure that the pharmacy technician has presented proof that he or she completed a standard nationally accredited or board approved education and training program.

(b) Within 2 years of initial licensure as a pharmacy technician and within 6 months before beginning any new duties and responsibilities of a registered pharmacy technician, it shall be the joint responsibility of the pharmacy and the pharmacist in charge to train the registered pharmacy technician or obtain proof of prior training in the areas listed in subsection (a) of this Section as they relate to the practice site or to document that the pharmacy technician is making appropriate progress.

(c) All pharmacies shall maintain an up-to-date training program policies and procedures manual describing the duties and responsibilities of a registered pharmacy technician and registered certified pharmacy technician.

(d) All pharmacies shall create and maintain retrievable records of training or proof of training as required in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 100-497, eff. 9-8-17; 101-621, eff. 1-1-20.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/27/2021